Homemade Fried Tortilla Chips

The only time I spent in the food industry professionally, I was working as a full-time waitress and a part-time counselor at a camp in northern Wisconsin.

And it was there that I burned myself for the first time. Ouch.

I’d signed up, willing to do anything. And by some act of grace, I wasn’t assigned cleaning duty. Instead, they put me in the kitchen.

Early mornings, before campers and counselors were awake, I’d walk in the dining hall, the scent of warm yeast in the air. I pulled trays of puffy doughs and freshly made eggs off the rolling warmers and set them in the buffet line. I collected dishes from round tables covered with plastic tablecloths.

And when the weather was nice, the kitchen crew transported things to a picnic area in the woods, complete with an outdoor cooking area, grills, and tables lined up to make a food line.

During one of these days, I ended up burning myself slightly while I carried a hot plate, causing a small scab to grow over my left forearm.

In a lot of ways, I think it’s good to burn yourself early: it gives you a healthy respect for cooking tools, and you learn to act more carefully when you’re working with them.

But in my case that summer, that little wound brought about an irrational fear of being burned. I have avoided a lot of things since, like hot oil, bubbling and popping in a pan on the stove, which is something of a problem for a fried food lover like myself.

So the recipe that got me to conquer those fears would have to be a pretty special one, don’t you think?

Enter homemade fried tortilla chips.

These chips are everything I was looking for: something easy and wonderful to eat. Looking for an alternative that didn’t involve frying, I also found some baked options and tested those too.

Trust me when I say this: the fried version is better.

The instructions are so simple, I could recite them in conversation, without looking for my notes or consulting a resource, and that’s saying something:

Get a package of corn or flour tortillas (whatever you like best), and cut them evenly into triangles. Heat up some canola oil in a large skillet, and lay the triangles carefully in the oil, arranging them in a single layer and flipping them a couple of times.

And the oil is absolutely nothing to fear! You only need a shallow pool in your skillet that just coats the triangles. Not a huge, scary, bubbling vat of hot liquid.

When they’re lightly golden and crispy, take the chips out of the skillet and set them on paper towels to dry. You’ll want to add a dash of sea salt when they are still a little warm, so it can absorb right into the warm oil on each chip. Then you’re set.

That’s it. Really.

Cheap, easy, fast, tasty… and safe (phew!).

The Recipe

The Best Homemade Tortilla Chips

Votes: 4 Rating: 4.25 You: Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

Homemade fried tortilla chips are crispy triangles perfect for dipping in your favorite salsa, guacamole, or hummus.

Servings	Prep Time
6 people	5 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings Prep Time 6 people 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

The Best Homemade Tortilla Chips Votes: 4 Rating: 4.25 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Homemade fried tortilla chips are crispy triangles perfect for dipping in your favorite salsa, guacamole, or hummus. Servings Prep Time 6 people 5 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings Prep Time 6 people 5 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 6 Soft corn or flour tortilla wraps
• sea salt to taste

Servings: people

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Stack the tortillas on a cutting board. With a large knife, slice them all together into 8 equally-sized triangles.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil until hot, about 5 minutes. Working in batches, add a single layer of tortilla triangles, being sure to let them overlap.
3. Fry them in the hot oil for 30 seconds to one minute on one side until lightly golden. Flip each one with tongs and fry for another 30 seconds to one minute, or until golden.
4. Working quickly, remove them from the oil and place on a large tray lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Repeat with the remaining triangles.
5. Once they have all been fried, drained, and cooled slightly but still warm, place them in a large bowl and toss with sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information*

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Cut the Tortillas

Stack the tortillas on top of each other, lining them up as best as you can. Using a large, sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board, slice them into equally-sized triangles.

If you are using corn tortillas, which are formed as smaller circles, cut them into 4 equal pieces.

Using flour tortillas instead? Because they are generally larger than the corn version, slice them into smaller pieces. As demonstrated in the above photos, you can cut them into 8 small triangles.

Step 2 – Fry in Oil

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 1/2 cups of canola oil until hot, about 5 minutes.

Working in batches, add a layer of triangles, being sure they do not overlap. Keep them in a single layer to promote the most even cooking.

Continue cooking them on one side until very lightly golden, about 30 seconds to one minute, then flip them with heatproof tongs. Continue to cook them for just another 30 seconds to one minute, or until lightly golden.

Depending on what style of tortilla you use, the cooking times will change slightly. The flour version is a little thicker, and will take longer to cook, while the corn tortillas are thinner, and will not need as much time.

So stay close to the pan while you’re cooking to keep an eye on the color. They cook quickly! And who really wants brown, burnt chips?

Step 3 – Remove and Repeat

When they have finished frying, remove them and place on a large tray lined with paper towels in order to remove any excess oil.

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 with the remaining chips.

Step 4 – Season and Serve

When all the chips have been fried and allowed to cool just slightly, but are still warm, place in a large bowl and toss with sea salt to taste.

Serve them with your favorite dips, and enjoy!

Put Down That Bag of Store-Bought Nacho Chips

Don’t fear the hot oil. It’s your friend, not your foe! These homemade tortilla chips got me over my fear of frying, and for that, I love them.

In just a few short minutes, you too can make these crunchy goodies, a perfect base for all your dipping needs. Not to mention it’s a great way to use up those tortillas that have been sitting on your shelf, right before they’re starting to go bad…

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

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